


Her Seventh Note

by missed_connections



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Because JeongMi is life okay, F/F, In between fluff and angst, jeongmi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-02 07:56:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17260484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missed_connections/pseuds/missed_connections
Summary: Before Jeongyeon was the subject of her adoration -  wearing mid-length shorts and in a huge hoodie, slightly drizzled with rain with wind-swept hair. Mesmerizing even without make up; beautiful even with that mocking smile. A smile which is as bright as the sunset, kissing the horizon, lighting up everything around.And perhaps, even her life.





	Her Seventh Note

**Author's Note:**

> Woooops sorry if everything's all over the place, I tried *peace out* 
> 
> I love fluff but HAHAHA it’s gna drag out so let’s leave the ending be. Maybe someday... /somebody/ can write Mina’s POV wooohooo
> 
>  
> 
> Alsooo apologies for any inconsistencies, I haven't triple checked :(

All of the days it would rain, it really had to be today.

Sighing, Jeongyeon looked at her umbrella holder to find one for the bad weather. Normally, she doesn't carry nor use one but today, she has to take the bus going to the office as Sujin borrowed her car, and the bus station's three blocks away from her apartment. Clutching the handle, she tugged the umbrella too strong, not noticing that one of the ribs was still caught up in the holder. The handle separated from the shaft and all that's left was for Jeongyeon to almost punch herself from all the trouble her luck has to offer.

She looked left and right to find another one. She knows there’s a very low chance to spot one as she’s not the type to maintain things like this, but she still looked around 

A level above her eyes, she spotted a red umbrella. She flinched at the sight, not expecting it to be there, but she also realized that she had to rush to the office for a meeting today. She grabbed it after contemplating for five seconds, heaved another sigh for the umpteenth time this morning and went out.

She opened the umbrella as soon as she stepped out and walked towards the station. She kept her pace slow to avoid puddles, looking at the handle of the umbrella all the while.

 

 

When she met Mina at JYP a year ago, she was oblivious to the fact that the person in front of her is THE Mina Myoui. All she knew at that time was there was this girl, looking straight into her eyes with an almost-stoic expression.  Mina was trying too hard to control the color of her face as she was embarrassingly caught mid-hitting the high note for her song, while Jeongyeon was too mesmerized to apologize for barging into that practice room. Thank the lord for Tzuyu though, who was behind her and was quick to her feet. After saying sorry for both of them, the latter wasn’t able to keep to herself.

“Mina, can I get your autograph?” Shyly, Mina flashed Tzuyu a smile and agreed. Jeongyeon couldn’t exactly pinpoint where she heard the name but she tried so hard to rake the back of her head about where she last heard it.

Then it hit her. 

She could only blink fast at the sight of beauty before her before trying her luck at not stuttering.

“Hi Mina. I’m Yoo –“

“Oh yes Mina! She’s the pianist for TWICE’s latest single.”

Jeongyeon looked so ready to smack Tzuyu but then Mina timidly smiled at them both, but stared a bit too long at the tall, blond girl.

“Ah yes. It was actually for my melody project. I will be singing the song.”

Tzuyu’s jaw almost dropped on the floor as she hit Jeongyeon’s back too hard for the latter’s liking. After giving her the stink eye, Jeongyeon looked back to Mina while obviously blushing. She mustered all her courage to ask for the artist’s autograph.

She wasn’t one to get too flustered as she meets celebrities on a daily basis due to her line of work, but that day was her lucky day that after gathering her best brain cells, she came up with the idea of having Mina’s sign on an umbrella.

A freakin’ red umbrella.

 

**_I’d like to say we gave it a try. I’d like to blame it all on life._ **

****

When she was younger, Jeongyeon loved it whenever it rains. She, together with her older siblings, would sneak after lunch and play together in the rain. She’d probably be the biggest pluviophile there is. She didn't care if she'll get a cold or a scolding later from their mom.

Even during her university days, she's one of the few who enjoyed playing softball under the rain. Her mother would always get angry whenever she goes home with mud-soaked varsity uniform, but she’d always get away with it knowing her mother’s soft spot for her smiling face. 

She was happy whenever it rained.

She liked watching how the earth pulls the drops from the clouds, and how the sky’s tears would – without hesitation – kiss the ground, dirt and all.

The personification of rain, she is – and perfectly coincidental, how she fell for Myoui Mina without objection.

 

 

Jeongyeon’s been frequenting the piano room to play for Mina’s melody project, and what should have been a room session turned to ice cream runs, sometimes coffee breaks, and if they got time, Unsolved binges. They both hate horror but somehow they find the show amusing, setting it as one of their common grounds.

Mina’s introverted character was known to many but during the past month she spent with Jeongyeon, she had been nothing but an open book to the latter.

The Japanese girl was fixing her things when she heard Jeongyeon arrive. “Got you this first, you were sneezing yesterday,” Jeongyeon said while giving her a tumbler of citrus drink with mint. “I made that before I left,” she added while handing it to Mina.

Mina could only smile at Jeongyeon’s thoughtfulness. “I thought about getting us a fruit cup on the go. Still up for it?” she replied.

“And thank you for the drink. What would I do without you?”

“You mean, how would you sing without me, ‘no? You can’t catch a cold, you’re supposed to sing tomorrow,” Jeongyeon said while nudging her towards the exit.

She reached over to Mina’s left shoulder, but not fully slinging her arm to make some space. It was the closest they’ve ever been since they met each other, and it made Mina’s heart beat twice as much. Jeongyeon noticed the change in her stance though they kept walking. To halt the awkward air, she patted her hair instead and started talking. “Have you listened to the song sent in by AAJ? It was awesome, but I’m sure you guys would add a fresh spin to it.”

Mina turned too abruptly to Jeongyeon’s side, and she was met by the blonde’s smiling face.

_Too close._

Her smile was so bright. And she was too close. Too close Mina swore she could smell Jeongyeon’s breath.

“Ah, sorry,” Jeongyeon said, putting her hand back to Mina’s shoulder. Mina contributed efforts to dissipate the nervous air, so she replied back.

“No worries, it was my bad. But anyway, yeah I’ve heard the song! It was so nice I liked it after hearing it! Wanna listen together later?”

 Throughout the elevator ride, Mina was clutching her chest – afraid that Jeongyeon might hear her hammering heart.

 

**_We can deny it as much as we want, but in time, our feelings will show_ **

 

 

Studio practices leveled up as soon, they’ve began lounging at Jeongyeon’s loft.

That night was popcorn night. And to make it more perfect, it started raining. Stubborn Jeongyeon insisted that she’d go to the nearest convenience store to buy some packed Garrett. Mina gave her the hardest warning she could muster but when she came back to the living room, she found no soul on the couch.

She zipped her hoodie and grabbed the first umbrella she saw. It was a good thing that her hoodie was oversized, she’d had more cover to avoid people recognizing her. She has to walk two blocks to make sure Jeongyeon doesn’t get wet.

Carrying her paper bag full of snacks, Jeongyeon almost tumbled to the ground against girl rushing to the door of the store. Easily recognizing Mina, she held her arm to prevent the fall.

“What are you doing here? I told you I’m buying snacks.”

“And you went here without any umbrella? What if you get sick?”

“Wait!!! You used my umbrella,” Jeongyeon said pouting.

“Well, umbrellas are used for times like this right?” Mina almost forgot that she had to reprimand Jeongyeon for making her worry.

“It’s a souvenir! I got your sign here oh,” Jeongyeon pointed to the umbrella’s canopy. “It might fade, it was the first gift I got from you,” she said while hugging her snack bag and pouting overly.

Mina could only do so much to control her fondness for Jeongyeon. As much as she tried to resist, Jeongyeon’s too cute for her so she started to pinch the latter’s cheeks.

“My gosh, who would have thought that you’d be this sentimental, Jeongyeonie?”

 

****

**_But in time, our feelings will show_ **

****  

Jeongyeon looked at the sight before her.

Before her was the subject of her adoration -  wearing mid-length shorts and in a huge hoodie, slightly drizzled with rain with wind-swept hair. Mesmerizing even without make up; beautiful even with that mocking smile. A smile which is as bright as the sunset, kissing the horizon, lighting up everything around.

_And perhaps, even her life._

 

“Mina.”

 

“Mm?”

 

“Let’s walk in the rain.”

 

“Are you worried about this souvenir umbrella? Jeongyeon, I could give you a hundred more signatures.”

Jeongyeon rolled her eyes at the girl before answering. She started to walk as Mina started to fold the umbrella.

 

“No. It’s just that, I like the rain a lot more at this moment.”

 

“Yeah, been a long time too since I last walked in the rain.”

 

“Well now you’ve got me, we could always walk together now.”

It wasn’t supposed to be deep, but Jeongyeon’s soft gaze suddenly felt like burning through Mina’s soul, as if all she wanted to say were things which could she could never express under the hopes that Mina would understand.

****

****

**_Sooner or later, we’ll wonder why we gave up_ **

****

 

Jackson arrived ahead of her again, it’s not that it’s a new occurrence but she can hear the pressure in the air. Thick, raw, and it doesn’t metaphorically smell nice at all.

Jeongyeon sat in front of her piano, waiting for a text to light her screen up. Mina has been very busy lately, the usual lounging at her loft downgraded to meet ups in the practice room, and there just wasn’t enough time. And space. And downright confidence to be honest to finally, finally say it; like how both of them were treading in the dark, holding each other’s hands but not knowing what it is, or what they actually are.

And if they were being honest, no one bothered to ask.

Tzuyu went in the piano room and sat beside Jeongyeon. “So she’s getting her first acting gig huh.”

“Hm? Who?”

“Mina. Aren’t you browsing online? Ugh. She’s teaming up with Jackson for a drama.”

Jeongyeon laughed. “She’s gonna do acting? She can act?” She continued to browse over some sheet music but her mind’s somewhere else.

_So, the reason why Jackson’s almost always in the rehearsal room is because of this acting gig? Do they have to meet up outside of filming schedule?_

Days turned into weeks, and practice room hangouts became less frequent because Mina’s promotion schedule with the group has been occupied with acting promotions, and soon, the coffee runs weren’t anymore.

 

_Are you here? Coffee break? Wanna show your face?_

_Shoot early today, but the site is near._

_One hour before shooting starts but_

_Jackson oppa’s treating breakfast. Drop by?_

_Oh alright. Will drop by next time though._

_Session in 15 with Tzuyu and the new singer._

Jeongyeon felt a jab in the gut. She doesn’t know why, but it doesn’t sit well with her that Jackson’s taking much of Mina’s time which she used to have before.

Little did she know that Tzuyu’s sneaking above her right shoulder, who downright smacked her head when the latter read her name from her last message.

 

“Aw! What!” 

 

“We don’t have a session! And most importantly, there’s no new artist!”

 

“Well now there is! Her name’s… She’s you!” 

 

The taller girl rolled her eyes. “Seriously, Jeongyeon. If you keep this up, you’d lose everything you’ve built with Mina from the ground up.”

 

“What do you know anyway,” Jeongyeon tried to evade Tzuyu’s point, because Tzuyu is right and because she doesn’t know what she has to do.

 

“Well I know enough how you’re losing this game because you’re not even scoring a point,” Tzuyu said, following Jeongyeon to the other side of the room where the amps are.

A sigh escaped Jeongyeon. “Maybe she enjoys Jackson’s company. He seems like a good guy; he could give her the good stuff. Could even buy better coffee. She looked good in the coat he bought her as a partnership gift.”

Tzuyu popped a candy in her mouth. “Hmm, I take it as you saw it on TV. Didn’t know you watch entertainment news.”

“Well, it was all over SNS too. Everyone said she looked like a Japanese heir in that coat,” Jeongyeon said while fixing her tuck-in.

 

“Such a nice winter coat, ‘no?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Hey, Jeong, do you know what comes before the fall?”

 

“Summer.”

 

“Nope.”

 

Jeongyeon, with questioning eyes, looked over Tzuyu who’s now about to leave the room.

 

“Pride.”

 

After a minute, her phone dinged. It was Tzuyu again with a note, “Stop selling yourself short. That’s still pride, you know.”

**_The truth is, everyone knows how ‘almost’ is never enough_ **

**** ****

****

Thumb. Index. Ring finger. Pinky.

C, E, G, B.

 

Jeongyeon’s on the lunch table, observing the outside world from the second floor of her office. She kept on tapping the same pattern over and over. In front of her is a bento box, and on the chair at the right side of the table sits the red umbrella she used earlier.

She stared at Mina’s faded signature, probably due to how long it has been in her storage bin, or probably because of the rain the umbrella has braved.

It has been a few months already; a few months since she rehearsed these lines over and over again. Over and over. A thousand times maybe. She imagined where she would say it, how the conversation would go, and how she would bear it all it to the her.

 

_The Piano Room. After rehearsals, with rain making it perfect._

 

_She would say, “Do you know that there’s secret in making chord progressions a lot interesting and full?”_

 

_She would play, C. E. G._

 

_She would add, “It’s called the seventh note.”_

 

_She would press, C.E.G.B_

 

_“It’s something that adds an element of life and feelings to the chord. Warmth. Sadness. Excitement. Tension. The feeling of being alive.”_

 

_She would look her in the eye. “You’re my seventh note, Mina.”_

 

However, not one of those words rehearsed were ever said to Mina.

 

  

Jeongyeon was interrupted by the opening of the door, and she found Tzuyu carrying another set of boxes on top of each other. The latter joined her when she founded a small piano school months ago. Tzuyu observed how her fingers carefully tap the table top with a repeating pattern.

“You know, for someone who distanced herself from the love-of-her-life-who-she-says-she-does-not-deserve, you sure are pretty sentimental.”

“I – “ Jeongyeon looked over the window again. “I brought the umbrella again for the first time since we used it. I had nothing else to use.”

“Oh, that’s good then! You could use that to meet her up again, say ‘hey Mina, I need you to sign another umbrella. This one’s fading already.’, isn’t that a good-enough excuse? Do I get to key in her number?”

“Tzuyu, don’t be silly. I don’t think she’s ever want to see me again. I mean. Sure, she doesn’t hate me, but – “

“But?”

“But. I don’t know. It’s just – I basically left with minimal goodbyes as if there was nothing going on.”

“So who’s fault was it?”

****

**_If I could change the world overnight, there'd be no such thing as goodbye_ **

 

 

“I… I dunno,” Jeongyeon pretended to be interested in nail biting. “Maybe if Jackson hasn’t professed his love on national TV, I would stand a chance.”

“You’re dumb. A professional dimwit. For a musical prodigy, you sure are a prod-idiot.” 

The blonde shoot Tzuyu a look.

“We both know that nothing happened after that heroic profession, but you chickened out and what, told Mina to think about it a little more, that there might be something there in her heart for Jackson? Ugh, what an idiotic martyr.”

“I am highly provoked to kick you out of my office now.”

“You know it’s true. But to be fair, Jeong, I wouldn’t say that you are entirely a hundred percent at fault. Maybe just 92%.”

“Wow. Minus eight percent’s supposed to make me feel better?”

“Oh of course. Because I know for a fact that Mina likes you but she never said it either. But all considerations taken, not to be that friend but let me be that friend for once – you basically pushed her towards the other direction when she was emotionally vulnerable. What was she supposed to feel? It sure would make her feel like everything you did together was because of plain friendship and nothing more.” 

Jeongyeon was quiet. She knew Tzuyu was right. They were acting more than friends but less than lovers for none was brave enough to say it, ask about it, and name whatever it is they have had.

“Wow that was a mouthful. I think I could apply as a life coach some time soon.”

Jeongyeon hummed. Looked Tzuyu almost pleadingly, seeking for a sort of assurance that it’s okay. That she’s not too late.

 

“Do you think she changed her number?”

 

“I am certain that she didn’t.”

 

“Do you think… It’s…”

 

“Shut up and message her already, ask her if you could get a signed umbrella for your niece.”

 

“I don’t have a niece yet!”

 

“Yeah, yeah then tell her it’s for your dog,” Tzuyu stretched a bit before heading towards the door. She turned around while walking backwards and added, “No backpedaling, Jeongyeon.”

 

Jeongyeon shot her a sad smile. Uncertain. Insecure that she might have taken too long, but the most she can do now is be hopeful that somehow, there’s still something there.

 

 

 _I hope I’m not too late._  

 

 

“No backpedaling this time, I promise.”

 


End file.
